A Guide to Expanding Your Target Audience Through Multi-Platform Search Advertising
In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, it’s essential for brands to stay on top of the latest trends and platforms in order to effectively expand their target audience. For years, Google and Bing have been the go-to platforms for paid search advertising. However, there are now exciting new opportunities available on alternative platforms such as TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, Reddit, and Instagram.
These platforms offer engaged users who are actively searching for products, inspiration, and information. They also provide targeting options using keywords, interests, and more, allowing brands to reach massive new audiences beyond Google and Bing. In this article, we will explore how to leverage these additional search platforms to complement your existing PPC efforts and connect with customers throughout their journey.
Redefining Search Advertising: Other Platforms to Explore
When we think of search advertising, we typically associate it with Google and Bing. However, any platform with a “search” bar could be potential for a search advertising strategy. Let’s take a closer look at some platforms that have the most potential to support and complement your search advertising efforts.
TikTok: A Rising Search Engine
While TikTok is primarily known as a social media platform, it has been making significant strides to disrupt Google’s search dominance. The platform offers tremendous potential for ecommerce brands through TikTok Shop, positioning itself as a disruptor. With a surge in usage from Gen Z and an expanding user demographic, TikTok provides ample opportunities for brands. Users are drawn to TikTok as a search engine due to its short-form video content, personalized experience, higher user reviews for products, and relatable user-generated content. With the release of TikTok Keyword Insights, businesses can better understand trending keywords within the platform.
Pinterest: A Social and Search Platform
Pinterest is a unique platform that combines social media and search capabilities. Users visit Pinterest to gain inspiration through searches and recommended content. From an advertising perspective, brands can take advantage of keyword targeting, similar to Google Ads. However, Pinterest sits higher up the purchasing funnel and can be utilized effectively as part of a multi-touchpoint strategy.
YouTube: The Second Largest Search Engine
YouTube is the second largest search engine, right behind Google. While Google is used for finding products or services, YouTube is primarily used for inspiration, information, and education. With billions of views, YouTube offers advertisers a massive opportunity to influence users at various stages of their purchasing decisions. YouTube ads can be targeted using interests, demographics, and keywords.
Reddit: Engaging Communities and Discussions
Reddit is a platform where users go to express opinions, seek advice, and engage with communities. It provides an opportunity for brands to reach an already engaged audience through product reviews and suggestions. Advertisers can target specific communities and keywords on Reddit.
Instagram: Repositioning as an Alternative Search Engine
As TikTok gains popularity as a search engine, Instagram is repositioning itself as an alternative. Instagram’s ad targeting options align with Facebook and other Meta platforms. Brands can optimize their organic Instagram posts for better search visibility and boost ad delivery within search results and Discovery pages.
Incorporating More Search Engines in Your PPC Strategy
To effectively expand your target audience across multiple platforms, consider the following factors:
– Your sector: Understand which platforms are most relevant to your industry.
– Active communities: Identify where you have an active community and how they may respond to seeing your brand on different platforms.
– Tools and insights: Utilize tools like KeywordTool and Glimpse to gain insights into search volumes, search intent, and trends within each platform.
– Tailor your creative: Customize your advertising creative to fit each platform’s environment and user intent.
– Test budget: Launch any new advertising activity with a test budget to gauge its effectiveness.
– Measurement plan: Develop a comprehensive measurement plan to determine success metrics for each platform.
Expanding your search advertising efforts across multiple platforms allows you to reach a wider audience, boost engagement with existing audiences, and enhance brand awareness and recognition. By staying up-to-date with the latest trends and platforms, you can capture more demand for your products or services.
In conclusion, the search landscape is evolving rapidly, and brands need to adapt their PPC strategies accordingly. Platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, Reddit, and Instagram offer exciting new opportunities for expanding your target audience. By understanding the unique features and targeting options of each platform, brands can effectively complement their existing search advertising efforts and connect with customers throughout their journey. So, don’t limit yourself to just Google and Bing – explore these alternative platforms and unlock the potential of multi-platform search advertising.
